Soon after the terror ended in the city and left its scars behind, city psychiatrists sprung into action taking distress calls and making emergency visits. Doctor Yusuf Matchiswalla, head of psychiatric department, Masina Hospital, and visiting psychiatrist at JJ, GT, Saifee and police hospitals, said, “We have activated our 24-hour helpline numbers for distress callers. Now, that the initial acute shock has passed, the post-terror trauma will start sinking in. In the coming days we expect a large number of callers struggling to cope up.” Matchiswalla said they are already handling calls from foreigners, youngsters and even parents of disturbed school children.

Dr Ambreen Pradhan, practicing psychologist at Masina, said: “Most of our callers seem to be in the age group of 25-30. They are utterly traumatized, nervous, often in a state of denial.”

Pradhan said, the symptom of post-terror trauma are often numbness, great guilt, refusal to make an eye contact, refusal to speak even to loved ones and so on. “It will need a few months of anti-depressants and counseling to cure such cases,” she explained.

Over the next few months, Matchiswala and his team from Masina Hospital have organised multiple pick-up ambulances for trauma patients, spot-on sessions at the Taj and Oberoi, special impromptu sessions with people who were on duty when the terror struck and group therapy — all for free. “Starting Monday, we will personally visit the sub-stations of the police and Fire Brigade; hospitals and ambulances; as well as schools, and offer special session for those who witnessed the tragedy from close quarters.” On Sunday itself, the team met at least 27 patients, Pradhan said.

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